Note
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Article types¶
Planetary Research publishes several different article types that differ in their scope, length, and review process. Most work is published as long-format research articles and short letters, but other article types are provided for the specific cases of reviews, numerical codes, datasets, planetary missions and instrumentation, introductions to special issues, commentaries and editorials. As described in the relevant journal policies, the journal will also publish corrections to previously published articles, as well as comments and replies.
Research article¶
Research articles present original scientific results in planetary science that are supported by a sound methodological approach and rigorous analysis techniques. Research articles should be concise, but otherwise have no length limitations. Research articles may be accompanied by an author formatted PDF that contains supplementary text, tables, and figures.
Letter¶
Letters are short research articles that report new results that are of broad interest to the planetary science community. These manuscripts must contain fewer than 4500 words in the combined abstract, main text and captions, and may contain up to three figures or tables. Following the main text, the manuscript may include a methods section that is no more than X words in length. Supplementary figures (but not text) may be included in an author formatted PDF to support the conclusions of the main text.
Review¶
Review articles present a broad overview of a research topic that is relevant to a large segment of the planetary science community. To ensure that the manuscript is well balanced and represents a community consensus viewpoint, review articles are subjected to a more demanding peer review process than normal research articles, which may include additional reviewers and rounds of revisions. Reviews must receive prior approval from the editor-in-chief. Before submission, the author should provide a letter to the editorial board that makes the case as to why such a review is necessary and timely.
Numerical code¶
This manuscript type describes numerical codes that are of general use and interest to the planetary science community. The text should present the numerical methods used in the code, describe how the code can be used in practical circumstances, and provide examples that can be executed and easily modified. The code itself must be open source with a license that allows it to be freely used, modified and shared. The code archive must be versioned and accessible for download on an external website with a DOI, and must have sufficient documentation such that it can be easily installed and used.
Dataset¶
This manuscript type presents important new datasets that will be of use to future scientific analyses. These manuscripts present the motivation and rational for acquiring the data, they describe the methodology by which the data were collected and calibrated, and they provide appropriate tests and analyses to validate the data quality. Dataset manuscripts quantify the properties of the dataset, but are not expected to provide new scientific results derived from the data. The dataset files must be deposited in an external archive that is accessible for download with a DOI, and the archive must provide sufficient metadata and documentation to understand the contents of the files.
Missions and Instrumentation¶
This manuscript type presents summaries and detailed descriptions of planetary missions, planetary instrumentation, and supporting ground based activites. Only those missions that have flown, or that were selected by a national space agency and are funded for a future launch, are considered for this manuscript type. Manuscripts regarding unsucessful missions are appropriate, as are canceled missions that were in a mature state of developement at the time of cancelation. Concepts and ideas for a mission or instrument are not considered for this article type.
Introduction¶
Introductions are short manuscripts that introduce or preface a special issue. This article type will often undergo a less demanding peer review process than normal research articles, which could include fewer or even no peer reviews.
Editorial¶
Editorials are manuscripts that describe official journal policies or that discuss a point of view that is sanctioned by the editorial board. Editorials are generally authored by members of the journal, but can be authored by non-journal members when approved by the editorial board. Editorials are reviewed only by the editorial board.
Commentary¶
Commentaries are articles that present a point of view on a topic, that summarize scientific meetings or workshops, that provide context concerning recent or historical events that affect the planetary science community, or that discuss any issue that may be of interest to the readers of the journal. These manuscripts are reviewed in the same manner as research articles. Before submitting a commentary, it is recommended that the authors discuss the manuscript with the editor-in-chief.